Sebastian Vettel's win on Sunday was his third straight victory for Red Bull and his third in as many races in Singapore. Photograph: Rex/HZ/Sipa

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton have reacted with surprise and condemnation to the booing of the world champion Sebastian Vettel after he won in Singapore on Sunday evening.

Button, who was in line for his first podium finish of the season before his tyres died underneath him, said: "I was quite surprised, actually. In Italy I have been booed on the podium, so that happens because it's Ferrari's back yard.

"But in Singapore? It's a surprise. Michael Schumacher got booed because he did things people did not like, but Seb's not really done that, so it's strange to hear it."

It was Vettel's third straight win for Red Bull, his seventh of the season and his third in as many races in Singapore. It's gives him a commanding 60-point lead over Fernando Alonso with six races remaining.

Hamilton said: "No one should ever be booed or put down for their success, however hard or easy it's been for them to get where they are. It is such a negative thing, especially when someone has worked so hard to be successful.

"Maybe when Fernando and I were team-mates [at McLaren in 2007] he had it at Silverstone. And I might have got it in Barcelona when I beat him that year. I might have had it in Italy [when he won there in 2012]. But I've not noticed it ever before."

The booing was condemned by the Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, on Sunday night. Vettel, who received similar treatment at Silverstone and Monza earlier in the year, said of the people who jeered him: "They are on a tour, they come to every race. Fortunately we keep winning so they've got a reason to boo, but it is not nice.

"If you look around the grandstands most of the fans are dressed in red. Ferrari has a very strong fan base."

Meanwhile, the FIA presidential candidate David Ward wants his rival and the current incumbent, Jean Todt, to be penalised if found guilty of breaching the body's own regulations in the campaign for the vote in December.

Ward believes Todt has breached not only the FIA's Code of Ethics, but also the body's statutes and internal regulations.

Ward had already claimed that Todt has used FIA resources to attend meetings with member clubs during which they were asked to sign formal written commitments to support the Frenchman's re-election bid in the form of 'support agreements'.

With the Ethics Committee investigating, Ward said: "I think at the very least it would be in the best interest of the FIA if all the support letters signed before 6 September now be revoked."